The Warriors (15-8) will become significantly better once Stephen Curry returns for Saturday’s game against the Detroit Pistons (11-7) after missing the past 11 games with a strained left groin. Ditto for whenever Draymond Green (right toe), DeMarcus Cousins (left Achilles) and Alfonzo McKinnie (left ankle) return. Kevin Durant is an amazing player regardless of how many All-Star teammates he has. And yes, the Raptors are the real deal.

That does not mean a fully healthy Raptors team could significantly test the Warriors in the NBA Finals. For a preview piece before Thursday’s game, I asked various people around the NBA how much could the Raptors threaten the Warriors in the NBA Finals. “Not very much,” replied one Eastern Conference coach. Nonetheless, the game became entertaining and sparked a lot of questions for the latest Warriors mailbag.

You can also send those questions for future Warriors mailbags to me on Twitter or by following our coverage via our free email newsletter, Warriors HQ. Sign up for my text messaging service here and you can get around-the-clock updates and answers to your Warriors questions sent directly to your phone. And subscribe to the Mercury News or East Bay Times and get a free Warriors’ championship commemorative book.

Now onto the Warriors mailbag…..

Love these chief ! Iggy didn't play well tonight. I'm not trying to imply tonight will be foreboding of the rest of the season but, given Iggy's age and contract, will this be his last season as a warrior?

Very good question, and I wish I had a clear answer. The Warriors don’t have a clear answer, either. One thing is for sure. Like last season, the Warriors do not fret about Iguodala’s regular-season numbers (4.6 points on 45 percent shooting, 3.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists). They analyze Iguodala’s numbers in the postseason and still appreciate all of his intangibles.

That does not mean Iguodala is untouchable, though. He is 34 years old. He will always nurse minor ailments. And the Warriors know his hefty price tag ($16 million this season, $17.2 million next season). The Warriors currently believe that’s an appropriate cost of doing business considering Iguodala’s equity (2015 Finals MVP), his veteran experience, his playoff value and his intangibles. With the Warriors going younger this season at their center spot, Iguodala’s value increases more.

So it’s too early to say this would be Iguodala’s last season with the Warriors. Part of that hinges on if the Warriors win another NBA title, Iguodala’s post-season play/ health as well as if there are better alternatives in the open market. It’s not too early of a question to ask, though. The Warriors will keep their eyes and ears open so they hope to find an answer.

How soon can we get rid of Damian Jones? Is the Warriors going to sign another shooter/wing? Btw, Iggy was not great tonite…..can’t believe he’s getting paid $16Mil to not shoot at all. What a disaster!

Regardless of hoping Damian eventually improves, ask Kerr why not start Looney when he rebounds way better, avoids early foul trouble, is a tough defender and plays smart. Once Boogie arrives, DJ really will get much more bench time.

Sorry, Warriors fans. Warriors coach Steve Kerr made it clear he does not plan to strip away Damian Jones’ starting position. That is until Cousins returns and when the Warriors see smaller starting lineups. Regarding Jones, the issue is not how much he starts. It is how much he plays. Given his scant playing time in the past five games (15.1), Kerr obviously has concerns about Jones’ foul trouble (2.4 per game) as well as inconsistency with his aggressiveness and awareness.

Sending Jones down to the G-League does not solve the issue, though. It only delays any efforts in actually developing him. The Warriors have already seen Jones can thrive in the G-League for the past two seasons. Now they are intent on forcing Jones to play through his mistakes, imposing matchups and any other adversity that he faces. If Jones eventually passes those tests, that shows he is equipped for the NBA. If not, the Warriors will play Kevon Looney and Jordan Bell after the opening minutes when it’s time to stagger rotations. And when Cousins returns, the Warriors won’t have to worry about Jones’ slow starts anyway.

Regardless, the Warriors have already invested in Jones by guaranteeing his $2.3 million option for next season. Given that the rest of the Warriors’ frontcourt will all be pending free agents next summer, it is in the Warriors’ best interest in accelerating Jones’ development. That does not mean the Warriors will give Jones playing time he does not deserve. Kerr often allocates his minutes based off on merit, anyway. But that also does not mean, though, the Warriors will throw away an investment that has not recently yielded strong returns.

Why Klay's all FG%, 3P% and FT% are so low in this season? It seems he lost his ability somewhere.

Two points. Thompson had an early-season slump. It is also harder for Thompson to get easy baskets without Curry on the floor. Thompson opened the season shooting 39.6 from the field and 13.9 percent from 3-point range in the first seven games. In the last 11 games Curry has sat on the bench, Thompson has averaged 54 percent on two-point shots and 39 percent from 3.

The Warriors mostly attributed Thompson’s early-season slump toward taking a backseat to Curry and Durant’s greatness, and his teammates’ failure to get him open looks. Most of Thompson’s recent struggles stem from having reduced floor spacing without Curry’s gravity. But history shows Thompson will be just fine. He rarely loses confidence because his shots eventually go in the basket. And when that happens, it does not take long for Thompson to have a heat check.

Do you think the Warriors moving to SF could negatively impact some players in free agency. Theres strong love for Oak amongst the team. i feel there is a racial dynamic btw Oak and SF that the sports media tends to ignore/report but players likely have sense of. @MarkG_Medina

NBA players definitely recognize the social economic/racial dynamic regarding the Warriors’ pending move to San Francisco for the 2019-20 season. Our publication has talked a lot about Oakland’s reaction to the move as well as the Warriors’ sentiments here and here. But you’re overstating the free-agency component here. On one hand, the Warriors and opposing NBA stars have fond memories of playing at Oracle Arena. On the other hand, the Warriors will have more spending power to attract and retain free agents since they will reap 100 percent of the profits at Chase Center. Regardless, no NBA player goes to a team because of its arena. If that were the case, the Knicks would always be a good franchise and the Warriors would not have had rebuilding seasons in past decades. NBA players choose teams primarily based on the team’s winning environment, their role and how much money they will make.

Real talk: Durant seemed more amused with Drake. If KD was seriously annoyed with Drake’s trash talk, KD would not have given him his jersey afterwards.

Hey Mark,

Cousins was due for reevaluation on Tuesday but didn't see any reports, how is he progressing? When do you expect him to be able to return to the court, after Christmas as previously stated or do you believe there is a possibility he returns earlier? Thanks.

The Warriors planned to reevaluate Cousins and provide an update sometime this week. It’s not immediately clear when that will be known. But I’ll keep looking for answers. My bet is that Cousins returns sometime in January, though that is always fluid. The Warriors do not have a set timetable.

That’s an oxymoron. There’s no such thing as a top-five media dining ranking. Eat before the game or bring a meal to the arena. As you know, easier said than done. I haven’t paid enough attention, other than knowing this. Oracle Arena’s food is bad. Staples Center soft serve is good, though I never eat it. And I try to avoid the fried foods and sweets wherever I go. It’s impossible to keep a perfect field-goal percentage, however, on packing ahead of time and eating healthy during an 82-game season. As long as you keep a playoff-worthy record, you’ll be fine.